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Benchmarking of North American OEM Software-defined Vehicle Strategies, 2024

  • Report

  • 53 Pages
  • September 2024
  • Region: North America
  • Frost & Sullivan
  • ID: 6021012

North American OEMs have been at the Forefront of the Transition to Repeatable Avenues of Revenue, and Future Growth Hinges on Innovative Business Models that Use Data Monetization Strategies

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) used to differentiate their products based on mechanical features. Today, consumers are increasingly looking for software-defined features, such as driver assistance, connectivity, and comfort-convenience services. The convergence of technologies, including electrification, autonomous driving, shared mobility, and connectivity, is causing OEMs to migrate from traditional hardpoint-defined architecture to software-oriented architecture. Meanwhile, these trends are reshaping customer expectations and forcing OEMs to address them in new-generation vehicles, turning vehicles into software on wheels.

Similar to the mobile phone industry, the automotive industry is experiencing a rebirth, and traditional business models of cyclical revenue generation are challenged by continuous cash flow generation throughout the vehicle life cycle. The automotive industry is transitioning from a hardware to a software approach to building vehicles. Vehicles are increasingly complex, with more lines of software code than in previous years.

The software-defined vehicle (SDV) concept has gained traction, impacting product and feature development philosophies. Beyond unlocking new safety, comfort, and convenience features, SDVs offer more advantages than their hardware-defined counterparts. SDVs allow customers over-the-air (OTA) updates that cover firmware patches, infotainment to receive improvements, monitoring and tuning of core functional capabilities, such as powertrain and vehicle dynamics, and feature-on-demand comfort-convenience services. This allows OEMs to improve and upgrade vehicles on the go throughout their life cycle while generating revenue from feature-on-demand services, culminating in deeper, more connected relationships with customers.

SDVs are also at the forefront of monumental changes in the automotive industry; they are changing the way vehicles are designed and developed. Changes in architecture are evident, with OEMs preferring new architecture over traditional platform architecture.

This research service benchmarks 3 North American OEMs' SDV strategies. It discusses the impact of these trends on Ford, GM, and Tesla. The analysis also covers the ecosystem surrounding the OEMs and suppliers in the SDV space.

Table of Contents

Growth Environment
  • Key Findings
  • OEM Comparative Analysis: Hardware Strategy
  • OEM Comparative Analysis: Software Strategy
  • OEM Comparative Analysis: SDV Strategy and Implementation
Transformation in the Software-defined Vehicles Sector
  • Why is it Increasingly Difficult to Grow?
  • The Strategic Imperative 8™
  • The Impact of the Top 3 Strategic Imperatives on the Benchmarking of North American OEM Software-defined Vehicle Strategies
Ecosystem
  • Research Service Scope
  • Growth Drivers
  • Growth Restraints
  • Definitions: Market Segmentation
  • Key Competitors
North American OEM Software-defined Vehicle Strategy: Ford
  • Ford’s Hardware Strategy
  • Potential List of Ford Models on New Architecture
  • Ford’s Software Development Strategy
  • Ford’s Software Strategy: Model e™ Business Unit
  • Ford’s Focus Areas, SDV Ecosystem, and Strategy
North American OEM Software-defined Vehicle Strategy: GM
  • GM’s Hardware Strategy: Vehicle Intelligence Platform
  • Vehicle Intelligence Platform Deployment
  • GM’s Software Development Strategy
  • GM‘s Software Strategy: Ultifi Software Platform
  • GM’s Focus Areas, SDV Ecosystem, and Strategy
North American OEM Software-defined Vehicle Strategy: Tesla
  • Tesla’s Hardware Strategy
  • Potential List of Tesla Models on New Architecture
  • Tesla’s Software Development Strategy
  • Tesla’s Software Strategy: Software Platform
  • Tesla’s Focus Areas, SDV Ecosystem, and Strategy
Growth Opportunity Universe
  • Growth Opportunity 1: SDVs will Open Opportunities in Functional Virtualization and Cloud Computing
  • Growth Opportunity 2: OEMs will Use Pureplay Software Companies to Quicken the Migration to SDVs
  • Growth Opportunity 3: IT Companies will Help Automakers Develop Technology know-how
Best Practices Recognition
Next Steps
  • Benefits and Impacts of Growth Opportunities
List of Figures
  • OEMs’ SDV Strategies: Growth Drivers, North America, 2024-2030
  • OEMs’ SDV Strategies: Growth Restraints, North America, 2024-2030
  • NA SDV Strategies: R&D Locations, Ford Motor Company, Global, 2023
  • In-vehicle Software Spending: Financial Metrics, Ford Motor Company, Global, FY2021-FY2023
  • In-vehicle Software Spending: R&D Locations, GM, Global, 2023
  • In-vehicle Software Spending: Financial Metrics, GM, Global, FY2021-FY2023
  • In-vehicle Software Spending: R&D Location, Tesla, Global, 2023
  • In-vehicle Software Spending: Financial Metrics, Tesla, Global, FY2021-FY2023

Companies Mentioned (Partial List)

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:

  • Ford
  • General Motors
  • Tesla